Global Particle Physics Excellence Awards

  Effect of gravity on liquefaction behavior Understanding the Effect of Gravity on Liquefaction Behavior: A Critical Geotechnical Challenge Liquefaction, a phenomenon where saturated soil substantially loses strength and stiffness in response to stress such as earthquake shaking, remains one of the most critical issues in geotechnical engineering. Among the many contributing factors, gravity plays a pivotal role in influencing the liquefaction behavior of soils—especially in sloping terrains, embankments, and dam foundations. Recent studies have shown that gravity not only governs the stress distribution within soil masses but also significantly impacts pore water pressure buildup , shear strength degradation , and post-liquefaction flow behavior . In seismic zones, the gravitational component becomes even more influential. During an earthquake, cyclic loading causes upward water flow within saturated granular soils. Gravity accelerates this process by enhancing pore pressure mi...

  Antisymmetric tensor portals to dark matter Antisymmetric Tensor Portals to Dark Matter represent a compelling avenue in the ongoing search for physics beyond the Standard Model. While traditional dark matter models often rely on scalar or vector mediators to connect the Standard Model with the hidden sector, antisymmetric tensor fields introduce a novel and less-explored mechanism for interaction. These fields, characterized by their unique Lorentz transformation properties and gauge structures, offer rich theoretical landscapes for mediating interactions between visible and dark sectors. In such frameworks, the portal is typically modeled through couplings between Standard Model currents (such as electromagnetic or baryon currents) and rank-2 antisymmetric tensors, such as the Kalb-Ramond field. This interaction naturally arises in several string-theory-inspired models and is a promising candidate for capturing non-minimal dark matter dynamics. Importantly, antisymmetric tenso...

Dr. Jeongho Ahn | Best Researcher Award | Arkansas State University, United States Dr. Jeongho Ahn Honored with Best Researcher Award at Arkansas State University Dr. Jeongho Ahn, a distinguished faculty member in the Department of Mathematics at Arkansas State University, United States, has been awarded the Best Researcher Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to mathematical sciences and scholarly excellence. This prestigious honor highlights Dr. Ahn’s pioneering work in applied mathematics and numerical analysis, along with his continuous commitment to advancing research within the university and beyond. Known for his rigor in developing innovative computational methods and analytical models, Dr. Ahn’s research plays a critical role in solving real-world scientific and engineering problems. His dedication to excellence has not only enhanced the reputation of the Mathematics Department but has also inspired undergraduate and graduate students to engage in meaningfu...

  Development of a continuously maneuverable optics port for high vacuum boundary The development of a continuously maneuverable optics port for high vacuum boundary systems represents a breakthrough in experimental physics, vacuum engineering, and optical instrumentation. Traditional optics ports often require manual alignment and lack the flexibility needed for dynamic adjustment, especially in systems operating under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. This innovation introduces a novel mechanism that allows seamless and precise manipulation of optical components—such as mirrors, lenses, and beam splitters—within vacuum chambers without compromising the system's integrity or requiring venting. This maneuverable optics port is designed to maintain airtight sealing, withstand thermal fluctuations, and enable multi-axis movement. It is particularly useful in beamline experiments, laser diagnostics, synchrotron setups, and advanced manufacturing processes where precise optical align...

               Best Industrial Research Award Best Industrial Research Award: Driving Innovation for Real-World Impact The Best Industrial Research Award recognizes outstanding contributions to applied research that directly benefit industry and society. This award honors individuals or teams whose work bridges the gap between academic research and industrial applications, providing innovative solutions to real-world challenges across sectors such as manufacturing, energy, automotive, pharmaceuticals, materials science, and information technology. In today's fast-paced technological landscape, the collaboration between academia and industry is more vital than ever. Industrial research plays a key role in transforming theoretical advancements into tangible products, scalable technologies, and sustainable practices. Whether it’s enhancing automation through AI, developing novel materials for clean energy, or designing efficient industrial process...

  Ground motion directionality effects on the base isolated buildings In the realm of earthquake engineering , understanding the directionality effects of ground motion is critical, especially when designing and evaluating the performance of base-isolated buildings . Base isolation systems are a powerful seismic protection technique that decouples a structure from ground motion by introducing flexible isolators between the building and its foundation. However, the multi-directional nature of seismic ground motion —typically recorded in orthogonal components (e.g., longitudinal, transverse, and vertical)—poses a unique challenge in predicting how base-isolated systems respond under directionally varied seismic inputs . Recent research highlights that directionality of earthquake ground motion can significantly influence displacement demands, torsional effects, and isolator forces . For instance, structures designed under unidirectional assumptions may underperform when subjected t...